Speaking panel



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,656,910

1 R. DUNBAR SPEAKING PANEL %MMM Jan. 24, 1928.

1,656,910 R. DUNBAR SPEAKING PANEL Filed uf.f 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2A* y l 00 Y Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

insane UNITED Sf'lii'jllESl PATENT OFFICE..

ROBERTSON DUNBARQOF CLEVELAND, OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO THE VAN DORN IRON WORKSCOMPANY', 0]:'1k CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPEAKING PANEL.

Application 'led August 25,192.7. Serial No. 215,412;

This invention relates to jails and particularly to conversational panelstructures for use in connection with jails for permitting the inmatesor prisoners to converse withtheir guests or attorneys withoutpossibility of anything except conversation passing between the tube.

In jails it is essential that the inmates be permitted to talk to eithertheir guests and attorneys in a guarded manner to the ei:- tent ofpreventing anyone from the outside transmitting anything to the prisonereX- cept as permitted by the guards. In providing for conversation orlegitimate vis1ting between the inmates and the guest it is essentialthat there be clear vision between the two parties and that freeconversational intercourse may be had either in a whisper or otherwisewithout providing any means by which dope, saws or 'other undesirablethings may be passed in to the prisoner.

The present invention aims to accomplish the desired result in aspeaking or conversation panel for use in jails by having one or morethick glass panes supported in the jail structure in a suitable placewhereby the inmate may see the guests, etc., and arranging the glasspanel or panels in a manner such that conversation may be had around itsedges without any danger of undesirable things being passed through thesame circuit.

The invention is very fully set forth in the following description,drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. `1 is a view of a panel or a portion ofa jail structure located at a suitable point in the jail so thatvisitors may be led to one side and prisoners to the other. For example,the visitors may be led to the side set forth in elevation in Fig. `1,with the prisoners on the reverse side. Fig. 2 is a section on the line2-2 of a portion of one of the windows; and Fig. 3 is a section on theline Bw of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 represents a suitable panel usually of tool steel andsupported in the jail structure in a convenient place where the prisonermay be led to one side and the guest to the other side. This panel isprovided with a plurality of openings 2 forming windows through thepanel. Secured about and close to the edge of each of these openings isa suitable yielding spacer 3 formed of flat wire bent in transversely toform a .zigA zag '.iriangeinent, as shown.v These strips are secured atsuitable intervals to the visitors side of the panel 1.` Surroundingeach of these openings is a suitable spacing frame 4 provided with anopening 5 larger but of the saine shape as` its corresponding opening 2.Upon the inner face of this frame is the inner iinishing and clampingframe G having aplurality of openings 7 therein corresponding to theopenings Q. The frames 4 and 6 are secured to the panel 1 by suitablescrews 8, indicated in dotted lines, and suitably distributed about theparts. This outer frame 6 about each of the openings 7 is provided withzig zag glass holding strips 9 similar to strips 3. Between the strips 3and 9 a suit-y able heavy glass pane 10 is mounted. Each of these panesis less in size than its corresponding opening 5 in the frame 4, so asto provide a free conversational passage 11 around its edge. Topreventthe pane from sagging to the bottom, suitable spacers 12 may beprovided. The space 11 at the bottom is vented downward by suitableopenings 13 extending through the lower part of the frame 4 below eachglass pane.

It will be evident that the foregoing arrangement .provides a structurewherein a supporting channel for the glass pane is spaced about and awayfrom the margin of the pane to provide a battled speaking passage.V

The panel below the window on both sides may be provided with shelves 14and 15 and one or both sides may be provided with a suitable seat 16which may be of the folding type, as shown.

In use the guard leads the guest to the outside of one of these speakingpanels and then conducts the prisoner to the opposite side. The panelsare arranged at a suitable height so that clear vision may be hadbetween the parties and conversation may be conducted around the edgesof the glass panes. If the visitor should attempt to pass saw blades orother implements through the openings provided by the zig Zag strip 9,the articles will engage the frame 4 and will not turn or pass aroundthe edge of the glass. If any attempt is made to blow powdered dope ofany kind to the prisoner, this dope is collected in the marginal spaces1l and at the bottoni it may pass out on the visitors side. The panelsmay be removed for cleansing purposes by removing the screws When theentire structure ina-y be disassembled and thoroughly washed andreplaced.

What I claim is:

l. A speaking panel structure for jails comprising' a main panel havingan opening, a glass pane `Within said opening, a channel carried by saidpanel about said openingand enoasing' theinargin ofthe glass pane andspaced from the sides and edges thereof. and glass supporting andspeaking passage formspeaking passage forrnmgmeans is of` re- 20 silientmaterial.

8. A speaking panel structure for jails as in claim 1 wherein the glasssupporting and speaking passage forming means is formed of flat Wirebentinto zig zag yielding ar- 25 rangement and secured to the innersides of the channel. j p In testimony whereof I hereby afix mysignature. l

ROBERTSON DUNBAR. i

